Gaijin Guide

[kaiguma 0]

Interesting. I wonder if in 1 or 2 years we will see changes on that list with the inclusion of the "next generaton" of wakanoho, tochinoshin, kyokushuho, aran.

I would guess so. Also I predict we will see Ama rise from the top 10 to the top 5!

I for one, did not get a chance to cast my vote for him! (In a state of confusion...)

[madorosumaru 7]

One of the five rikishi promoted to juryo today was 23-year-old Batjargal Munkorigir from Ulaanbaatar, fighting under the shikona of Tamawashi. He had a 4-3 record at makushita 2W, getting kachi-koshi in his final bout on Day 12 against veteran sekitori Jumonji. "I wasn't sure I would be promoted so I am really happy," he said after he was informed of his promotion.

Tamawashi had been hanging around the middle of makushita for the past two-plus years, but he made his big breakthrough in Aki Basho, when he went 7-0 at m32 and won the yusho. On Day 13, he had a showdown against Yakigaya, who was also undefeated and would have secured a juryo promotion had he won.

"I was so nervous I couldn't eat." he recalled. "I couldn't sit still and kept going to the bathroom [to throw up]." However, on the dohyo, he had enough composure to push out Yakigaya in an all-out pushing battle. "All the guys at the heya gave me advice," he said modestly. "I was able to win because of their cooperation." Tamawashi is a bright, unassuming young man and well-liked at Kataonami Beya. In fact, ani-deshi Tamarikido, for whom he served as tsukebito, was more concerned about his charge's sumo than his own.

Right now, sumo is fun as heck for Tamawashi. "I feel I am gradually getting stronger," he said. "I haven't gained that much weight, but I've put on more muscles. I just feel antsy to do sumo." Not surprisingly, the two Mongolian yokozuna are his heroes, but he looks to sempai Tamanoshima and Tamakasuga as role models. "I want to be able to do oshi like them." He also admires the sumo of Hokutoriki, who catapults from tachi-ai and moves forward authoritatively.

Before he joined sumo, he was not involved in any organized sports. At most, he fooled around with Mongolian sumo, basketball and volleyball. His main interest was in cooking and his dream was to work in a major hotel. In face, he was enrolled in an university, majoring in hotel management, when he came to Japan to visit his elder sister, who was a graduate student at Tokyo University. One day, they went to Ryogoku and as they passed by a heya, they heard some voices. It turned out to be Kakuryu. When the young man showed some interest in sumo, Kakuryu directed him to Kyokushuzan. One thing led to another and soon he decided to drop out of college to join Kataonami Beya. "I wanted to try something like sumo which I can only do while I am young," he explained. "I can always go back to school."

Although he had the motivation, he had little sports experience. Sumo training was difficult at the beginning. "They had me working strictly on the fundamentals. My body was rigid and it took me a long time to do mata-wari." However, he had a lot of natural talent and good physical size--187 cm and around 130 kg. In a year and half, he was in makushita. Two and half more and he is now a sekitori.

[Fay 1,677]

One of the five rikishi promoted to juryo today was 23-year-old Batjargal Munkorigir from Ulaanbaatar, fighting under the shikona of Tamawashi. He had a 4-3 record at makushita 2W, getting kachi-koshi in his final bout on Day 12 against veteran sekitori Jumonji. "I wasn't sure I would be promoted so I am really happy," he said after he was informed of his promotion.

Thanks Madorosumaru! (Yusho winner...)

Tamawashi made a big development in the last 2 years I watched him. Great to see him in Juryo now and hopefully he will achieve a KK there in january.

[kaiguma 0]

... Hokutoriki, who catapults from tachi-ai and moves forward authoritatively...

(Blushing...)

can't help myself, heheh.

maybe you just forgot to put it in past tense?

:-)

[madorosumaru 7]

A Future Akebono?

"He's no ordinary fat kid," proclaims the local press. 12-year-old Abraya Lucas アブラヤ・キウイン・ルーカス of Brazil, is already 173 cm tall and weighs a whopping 120 kg. Every Sunday, young Lucas can be found at the Sao Paulo sumo club, slamming against the chests of older wrestlers.

Over and over, he would do butsukari. Again and again, he would be tossed onto the ground. But, the boy would not quit. He had decided from an early age that he wanted to join Ozumo in Japan, and he knows that much more rigorous keiko would be waiting for him there if he makes it.

Ozumo requires that a shin-deshi be a junior high grad, so Lucas has a few more years to go. During that time, he intends to build his body into sumo shape. He recently caught up to his dad, Akira, in height but he has long surpassed him in weight. As a pre-schooler, he did not show any interest in soccer. Instead, he would watch intently the satellite telecast of Ozumo. He knows that low ranked rikishi are unpaid, but if one becomes strong, the sky is the limit.

His dad supports Lucas' dream of becoming a rikishi. He drives his son from their home in Vila Formosa in the southeast of Sao Paulo and shouts encouragement and advice from the side of the dohyo. Lucas is omnivorous. Whether it is Brazilian food or Japanese fare, he consumes two heaping platefuls each meal.

Last year, Lucas won the youths' division of the All-Brazil tournament. Those in the know feel that he has the potential to make it to makuuchi for sure.

He does look a bit like young Chad.

[madorosumaru 7]

Sokokurai, Again

At a recent mochi pounding affair held at a local elementary school, Sokokurai, the Chinese hope, snapped the mallet he was using. "I did the same thing [at another mochi-tsuki]," he said. "I hate it when that happens. It's so embarrassing."

The strongman from Inner Mongolia continued, "When I do something like this or crush a chair I am sitting on, people think it's really neat, but I feel bad about that. First of all, it's dangerous. Everyone is yelling, "Wow!" or "Amazing!" but what if the jagged end hits someone?" Despite his apprehension, he declares that he will continue to pound with all his might.

Gambare, Sokokurai.

Pictures from the event

Sokokurai was featured for the second time as a "Noteworthy Makushita Rikishi" at the NSK site. They praised his development and his imminent rise to sekitorihood.

"Despite his thin built, he fights tenaciously. His style of grabbing the mawashi and rushing forward can be likened to Ama's. He hits hard at the tachiai and grabs a shallow hold of the mawashi with either his right or left. With his head pressed against the chest of his opponent, he will use a waza like dashi-nage to throw his aite off balance and press forward. That, in a nutshell, is his winning pattern."

Being able to hold his own near the top of makushita has given him confidence. "If I am able to stop the opponent's onrush at tachi-ai and get a hold of the mawashi, I can make something happen," he said. If he learns to master the sharp-angled tachiai used so effectively by Ama, he should find his path upward wide open.

He is a favorite of his shisho, Arashio Oyakata, who said, "He has such an earnest, straight-forward personality. He works hard at keiko and his sumo is improving."

The NSK report mentioned how Sokokurai changed two of the characters of his shikona from the ones used in China 苍國来 to their Japanese equivalents 蒼国来. The simplified-Chinese character 簡体字 for "so" 苍 does not appear in many Japanese types and fonts and Chinese use 國 "kuo" for "country" (中國- China, for example) whereas the the Japanese use 国 "koku" (中国). Since some Japanese fans and members of the media felt uncomfortable with that, Sokokurai "graciously" agreed to the change. The official site praised the young man for his acceptance of "When in Rome, . . ." unlike certain other recalcitrant gaijin rikishi and declared that with that kind of spirit and understanding, it is no surprise that he is getting stronger and better.

[madorosumaru 7]

Gambare, Gabaraev!

Featured this month by the NSK is Alan Gabaraev of Ossetia. The report mentioned that a wave of heavy-weight wrestlers, with large bodies and excellent athletic ability, have invaded Ozumo from Europe in recent years. In the old days, it was believed that long-legged Westerners were not suited for sumo, but that has been proven to be a lot of bunk. With their naturally powerful bodies and training in wrestling, they have shown that they are indeed well-equipped for sumo.

It is said that these days, there is not enough of the dragging around in butsukari-keiko and that insufficient training results in the tendency of many rikishi to plop down easily. However, the Europeans are trained in wrestling to withstand all the downward pressure applied to their necks during the matches. The Japanese rikishi, on the other hand, are simply getting weaker and less steady on their feet. As such, the Europeans have taken the easy route of pull-downs and slap-downs.

They have strayed off the basic tenet of sumo, "Push back when pushed." As a result, they have not developed as well as their Mongolian counterparts. In view of all that, a rikishi that has seen the light about the importance of the tachiai is Aran, who was recently promoted to makushita 5. Two years ago in Osaka, he won the unlimited weight class of the World Sumo Championships. He had started wrestling when he was 13 and developed an interest in sumo when he was 17.

Aran joined ozumo with great expectations in January last year and, in a blink of the eye, has advanced to within reach of sekitorihood. Just because he is such a strong prospect does not mean everything went smoothly so far. In the past year, he has lost crucial bouts to other top prospects like Tosayutaka and Yamamotoyama. But, these bitter losses are what light Aran's flame.

He is rather slow in his attack but if he doesn't succumb to the allure of the hataki, his sumo should develop further and blossom. In any case, NSK feels he is definitely a man to watch in Haru Basho.

[aderechelsea 125]

A Future Akebono?

and who was the first one to mention his accomplishments around here? ;-)

a pic after his Sud-American Junior Championship

it looked like he was fighting against midgets in that tournament.Trully above all competition

[madorosumaru 7]

[Very strange considering that 國 and not 国 is the kanji used above the main door of the Kokugikan.

By definition, kanji 漢字 (Han characters) are Chinese characters. Throughout history, the Japanese have used the original Chinese version for elegance or sense of tradition. The "colonials" in North America do the much the same when they name some stores "Ye Olde Wine Shoppe" or when Ben Franklin's work is spelled "Poor Richard's Almanack." 99% of the time, the word would be spelled almanac. Kokugi 國技 national sport apparently warrants such treatment.　

[Orion 431]

[The simplified-Chinese character 簡体字 for "so" 苍 does not appear in many Japanese types and fonts and Chinese use 國 "kuo" for "country" (中國- China, for example) whereas the the Japanese use 国 "koku" (中国). Since some Japanese fans and members of the media felt uncomfortable with that, Sokokurai "graciously" agreed to the change.

Very strange considering that 國 and not 国 is the kanji used above the main door of the Kokugikan.

It's simply the difference between old-fashioned and up-to-date, and in a conservative world like sumo the old form lasted longer than outside. Oshima oyakata's shikona was Asahikuni, and the old 'kuni' was used.

[kaiguma 0]

If he learns to master the sharp-angled tachiai used so effectively by Ama, he should find his path upward wide open.

Now that's a euphemism if there ever was one! (I am not worthy...)

I knew you'd show up in this discussion, and distort the facts as usual (I am not worthy...)

Since they speak of it positively, I'd have to assume that the "sharp-angled tachiai" describes the angle between the body and the ground, rather than what you see in a bird's eye view. ;-)

[madorosumaru 7]

"Today is my happiest day," said Daiyubu as he was informed of his promotion to juryo. "I am glad I stuck it out with sumo." At the same press conference, his shisho, Shibatayama Oyakata said emotionally, "My faith in him and my strict guidance have borne fruit."

When he joined Ozumo, Davaadorji Undrah was 17 and weighed 72 kg, a skinny kid like another Mongolian in that class of Haru 2001--Hakuho. The oyakata had heard that the boy's maternal grandfather was a great yokozuna in Mongolian wrestling and felt he had the right lineage to become a good sumotori. Daiyubu has no sports experience so he found that "learning sumo was much more difficult that picking up the language or the customs."

Still, he rose up the ranks slowly but steadily until he was within range of sekitorihood last basho. After he won the bout that assured his promotion, he told the press, "It took a long time. I haven't been home to Mongolia in four years. The last time I was there, I told my family, 'I'll be back as a sekitori.' When I called home [with the news], my mother was crying out of joy."

The oyakata was on pins and needles all basho long. "It's a lot easier to be on the dohyo myself," he confessed. He was so concerned for his deshi that, towards the end of the basho, he would watch the bouts from a hidden spot on the third floor. "He might get nervous if he noticed me lurking about," said the considerate shisho.

"I have always stressed that the heya is a place to develop character and become a better human being [as well as a better rikishi]," said Shibatayama, who is known as a strict disciplinarian. "I don't know how many times I have to him to pack his bags and go back to Mongolia. He still managed to climb the banzuke because he learned forbearance, a quality that is so important in sumo."

Shibatayama Oyakata also has a reputation for being a Renaissance Man. Last year, he came out with a book on the "Sweets of Japan," introducing the best confectionary from all corner of the country. His autobiography, "Winning Even When You Lose," will be in the bookstores soon. His calm, self-assured delivery also make him a popular commentator on television. To celebrate the occasion, he designed a large 60-portion cake to serve to all the gathered media.

The oyakata, practical as always, killing two birds with one stone. There is a poster for his new book in the background and the cake is decorated with a caricature of himself.

[madorosumaru 7]

On Day 3 of Natsu Basho, two contrasting new makuuchi rikishi met on the dohyo. One was Tochinoshin, who needed only 13 basho to reach makuuchi, and the other, Kotokasuga, who required 91 basho, the second most in history.

Tochinoshin, born Levan Gorgadze, emerged victorious to make it three straight wins and thus continuing his upward surge. Among the cognoscenti of the sport, the word is that the 20-year-old from Georgia will be in sanyaku by the year's end.

In this bout, Tochinoshin remained calm despite allowing his opponent a favorable low position. He easily withstood the aite's yori assault and went on a counter-attack. He managed to get a moro-zashi hold and forcibly marched Koto out of the ring. "Well, once I got hold of the mawashi," he reflected afterwards. "The rest was no problem."

His mentor, Kasugano Oyakata, former sekiwake Tochinowaka, who watched from his judge's seat below the dohyo, had this to say, "I knew he would do decently, but he showed his mettle today when he won despite not having a good tachi-ai. What is good about him is that he consciously moves forward and almost never resorts to the pull under any circumstance."

Kasugano Oyakata was initially reluctant to accept a gaijin as a deshi. His opinion of Levan changed as he realized the young man was "earnest and had a strong desire to succeed." Young Levan did not received any special treatment after joining sumo in 2006. He suffered through keiko just like everyone else and he ate the same chanko with his heya-mates. He learned the Japanese language quickly under those conditions. The other Europeans in ozuma have a tendency to rely on the tachi-ai henka. Not Tochinoshin. Full steam ahead is his only way. He faithfully follows his oyakata dictum to do "more Japanese-like sumo than the Japanese rikishi."

Getting to makuuchi was a great incentive. In his home of Georgia, sumo is telecast via delayed satellite feed but only makuuchi bouts. "It's shown at 2 a.m. or some wee hour like that," he said. "However, the morning after shonichi, I woke up to an e-mail from my parents."

As a reward for making the top division, his oyakata has given him permission to visit home after the basho in June. He has not been back in a year and half. There are some political problems in the former Soviet republic but he is not worried. "I am really looking forward to the trip," he said. His father is in the wine-making business. "I think I am going to be drinking a lot of that stuff," he said with a big smile.

As mentioned earlier, those in the know are aware of his ability and potential. However, his recognition quotient is still low among the average fans. "They call me 'Kotooshu' when we are on jungyo," he lamented. "They would open their programs to the ozeki's page and ask me to sign. That gets my dander up a bit."

Tochinoshin miscellany:

Martial arts experience: Judo and sambo

Favorite pastime: Sleep

Favorite food: Yakiniku and sushi

Favorite celebrity: Actress Aki Hoshino. The standing joke is that Tochi's thigh measurement (90 cm) is larger than Aki's

bust size (88 cm)

Edited May 15, 2008 by madorosumaru

[Guest Takamichinoku]

(Yawning...) Well its funny i could call my self a Gaijin Cause i look like a Hafu----- :-) but im not cause Im not im pure blooded Okinawan -Japanese mixed.........

In even if i were hafu..............i would be telling anyone cause i be to scared in embarrassed to be around my own people

Cause Im so Dark oh well color don't matter to me... I be a proud wrestler. in win

many VICTORIE'S . In have a angel haylow over head with glory (Yusho winner...) (Yusho winner...) (Yusho winner...)

I want to be come a sumo cause i want to become Yokozuna in.............be happy in bring home the TROPHIE....... (Yusho winner...) How would have thought i would have became a sumo wrestler no one......

病気に勝つためには、ドラゴンtrophieで決して悪いランクを削除するには誰も望んして部屋の横綱が立っている。勝利の栄光されると病気

[madorosumaru 7]

Kinryuzan Kyujo

Sandanme Kinryuzan is out of Nagoya Basho. "Oh,no. Not again," lamented the gaijin game players. "What's wrong with the guy? He seemed so promising."

The young Korean rikishi injured his neck prior to Haru Basho in 2005 and herniation of disc stemmed from that episode. Up until then, he was a decent prospect with one make-koshi in jonidan and one in sandanme. According to one report, his neck condition was so severe that he could not even do sonkyo let alone engage in sumo. He missed four straight basho (1 fusen loss), resulting in his falling off the banzuke, where he remained for seven more basho.

Surgery was not an option. He went home to Korea, where he received intensive acupucture treatments. His oyakata told him to stay as long as he needed to recover. More than a year and half later in 06 Kyushu, he returned to the dohyo to make a perfuntory appearance in mae-zumo. However, his comeback was rushed. He won only one bout in jonokuchi and went kyujo again. He missed the next basho also and was banzuke-gai following that.

All the time, he continued with the acupuncture. In 07 Aki, he made another comeback in mae-zumo. This time, the pain was more tolerable. He won jonokuchi yusho the following basho, as he should have, since he was far ahead of the competition in ability and experience. He followed that with a fine 6-1 in jonidan but was once again kyujo in 08 Hatsu.

It's basho-to-basho for Kinryuzan now. He was 5-2 and 4-3 in Haru and Natsu, rising to sandanme 73 for Nagoya, but, alas, the pain struck again and he is on the kyujo list for Nagoya.

Despite all the travails, Kinryuzan has a positive attitude. "I am happy just to be able to do sumo," he said. "I got injured because I was weak. Keiko is the only solution."

Matsugane Oyakata is proud of his deshi, "He has a lot of gumption. If it weren't for his injury, he 'coulda been a contender.'"

Indeed, Kinryuzan excelled in judo before he joined sumo. He had won various age group tournaments as a schoolboy in Korea. He was recruited by former makushita Kunimiyama/Daikanyama, who is also from Korea.

He made his sumo debut in 2003 Natsu Basho at age 16, so he is still 21 years old. "I came to Japan to do sumo," he said resolutely. "As long as I am still active in sumo, I intend to become a sekitori."

Edited July 12, 2008 by madorosumaru

[madorosumaru 7]

A Bear of a Mawashi for Roho

Veteran makuuchi rikishi, Roho, was recently presented with a new kesho-mawashi from the president of the Bolshoi Circus (Japan) in association with the Organizing Committee of the Russian Cultural Festival.

The mawashi, as seen below, incorporates the white, blue and red of the Russian flag and is embroidered with the faces of a pair of bears, traditional symbols of the circus. Roho's shikona is displayed prominently in the center of the mawashi.

Mr. Michiteru Azuma, president of Bolshoi Circus (Japan), and Mr. Hideo Nagatsuka of the organizing committee visited Roho and Odake Oyakata at the heya lodgings in Nagoya to make the presentation. Mr. Azuma, who has known Roho since he first arrived in Japan, said, "[Contrary to commonly-held belief] the sekitori is a well-mannered young man, who is devoted to his family. I would like the public to get to know more about that aspect of his personality."

Roho was properly appreciative. "I am very pleased," he said. "I would like watch out for injuries and exhibit some power sumo in the Nagoya Basho."

Odake Oyakata had this to say about his deshi, "He seems to be in great shape. His body is toned to the max. The rest is up to his effort."

The somewhat embarrassed rikishi with his benefactors.

"I'm supposed to be a tough guy. Do I really have to wear this cutesy-poo mawashi?"

[madorosumaru 7]

Arawashi: "I Am Not Washed Up!"

Mongolian Arawashi, ne Erhebayar Dulgoun, finished Nagoya Basho basho with a commendable 4-3 kachi-koshi record in his first basho in makushita since July 2007. He had dislocated his left shoulder for the second time and underwent surgery to repair the damage, causing him to miss three entire basho and drop all the way to jonidan 22.

At one time, he was considered a hot prospect and had eight KK in his first nine basho to reach makushita before his 18th birthday. Jason Walker, aka Kagamifuji, wrote about going to sumo school with two particularly strong shin-deshi--Kotooshu and Arawashi. But, the young Mongolian rikishi's promising career was sidetracked by the propensity of his shoulder to pop out of its socket.

It took him a year to return to makushita after the first occurrence, but he got injured again. He is now carrying a proverbial bomb in his shoulder, ready to go off at any time. "I am still afraid when I grab the mawashi with my left. It is getting better little by little, but I still can't do too much keiko."

"I am too passive. I am scared to hit hard at tachi-ai and I tend to watch what my opponent would do," he elaborated. "I also have a difficult time preventing my aite from getting the shitate." A heavily-taped shoulder is a regular sight these days. For his first bout at Nagoya, he appeared on the dohyo without the wrapping. However, that lasted only one bout.

Araiso Oyakata reaches retirement age this November. Arawashi had hoped he would be a sekitori by then to honor his shisho. It doesn't look like he is going to make it. "Until then, I want to stay injury-free and get as high on the banzuke ladder as possible."

A very successful yokozuna also had a problem with shoulder dislocations. He changed his sumo style from a nage-oriented one to blitzkrieg attack. He also worked out diligently to develop the muscles around the shoulder. He called that his "Armor of Muscles." The result of his efforts was 31 yusho.

"That's what I want to do," said Arawashi. "I want to gain 10 more kilo and strengthen the muscles around my shoulder."

Edited July 28, 2008 by madorosumaru

[Asashosakari 19,320]

Thanks for another instalment in what's probably my favourite forum thread. :-)

[madorosumaru 7]

Sokokurai is Back!

Sokokurai does not like the hot weather--after all he is from Inner Mongolia. But, this year, he felt good from before the basho. He was moving well during keiko and he felt he was in the best shape in a long time. "Normally, I don't like the heat but for some reason, I get really gung-ho when I come to Nagoya."

He continued, "This [Nagoya] basho, the quality of my sumo was not that great until I got kachi-koshi. It got a bit better around the fifth bout. Even though I lost the next bout, I felt it was okay because I was moving forward."

He was self-critical: "On the whole, I relied too much on the nage. It looks good to the observer but personally I see it as a negative. It's just not the kind of sumo I should do."

With the front runners losing in their final bouts, Sokokurai made it to the makushita yusho ketteisen with a 6-1 record. "It was sudden and a pleasant surprise," he said. "I had either won yusho or gotten to the fight-off in all the divisions from jonokuchi to sandanme. Now that I reached the ketteisen for makushita, I felt I had accomplished everything I wanted to do in the lower divisions. Since I felt that way, I was not nervous at all. I was totally relaxed. Even though I lost, I felt good about myself."

In conclusion he said, "I learned how important it was to get into good shape. In the future, I am going to pay a lot more attention to physical conditioning. It's going to be an absolute necessity as I move up the banzuke."

Despite Sokokurai's heroics, his shisho, Arashio Oyakata, is hard to please. "His record of 6-1 is good, but at the rank of makushita 28, it is pretty much par for the course. In watching his sumo during the ketteisen, I didn't see much technique in his attack or in his use of the mawashi hold. [unless he improves] he is going to have problems when he is promoted back to upper makushita. I know, 6-1 is nothing to scoff at but I can't help myself . . ."

[madorosumaru 7]

The Creature Reaches Sanyaku . . . At Last

"The Creature from the Fjords," Baruto, finally made it to komusubi after a lot of pain and travails. Once mentioned by Kitanoumi Rijicho as a potential yokozuna, Bart had suffered serious knee injuries and fell twice to juryo. Now, he has made adjustments to his sumo style and is on his way back up the banzuke.

With his size--197 cm, 175 kg--Baruto has the ability to grandiosely whirl his opponents across and out of the dohyo. However, his lack of fundamental techniques and awkwardness have hindered his development and made him vulnerable to injuries. His knee still gives him problems and requires twice-weekly treatments. "I am so happy about the promotion, he told the gathered press. "I need to work on reducing my bad habits and move up the ranks so my shikona would be even bigger on the banzuke."

His shisho, Onoe Oyakata, said, "This is a new start. I am sure he will face more walls in the future, but I would like to see him gambarize to reach the pinnacle."

Bart concluded by saying, "I want to do the kind of large-scale sumo that the fans would enjoy."

[madorosumaru 7]

I Finally Made It, Shish. Are You Happy For Me?

When Mongolian Shotenro joined ozumo in 2001, one of his contemporaries was countryman Hakuho. While the latter rushed up the banzuke to become the 69th yokozuna, Shotenro was mired in the lower ranks, suffering from assorted injuries. In fact, his left knee was hurt so often that, according to sanspo, he had to undergo three operations.

Things got so bad that his oyakata suggested a name change from Musashiryu to Shotenro. Post on shikona change

At the same time, the shisho told him to be more aggressive on the dohyo by using more tsuppari.

All that must have worked since Shotenro compiled a 4-3 record at the top of makushita in Aki Basho. A few days ago, it was announced that he was one of the six who were promoted to juryo.

At the press conference, Shotenro said, "I am filled with happiness. I am so glad I gambarized and persevered." At the same time, he added, "I am going to stay with the attacking sumo. I am going to hit hard and charge ahead. That is the image of Musashigawa sumo."

Musashigawa Oyakata, the curmudgeon, wasn't easily impressed. "He shouldn't be satisfied with just this. I am going to be even more strict [in pushing him along] in the future."

Happy deshi with sourpuss shisho

Post on knee surgery

[madorosumaru 7]

Sokokurai Reflects on Aki Basho

I was able to achieve kachi-koshi, but it turned out to be a basho in which I gave you fans a lot of worries and concerns.

I, myself, don't really know why I had such difficulties. For the first half, I was pretty much able to do the kind of sumo I wanted and had a 3-1 record. Then, for some reason, I lost consecutive bouts. Since I was sure I was going to win at least five bouts, I started to fret a bit. Still, I never lost my confidence to win.

As far as the quality of my sumo was concerned, it was basically the tachiai. It seems like I was concentrating only on the tachiai. I just can't seem to do the kind of tachiai that would satisfy me. For example, was it the sixth bout? My neck got jammed and I felt a shock wave in the area. It was proof that I wasn't hitting properly. If I did a proper tachiai, I would never feel that kind of strange pain.

During the basho, I would watch videos over and over. From this point on, I will be checking out the sumo of likely opponents to get ready for Kyushu Basho.

I really wanted to win a few more bouts. I wanted to win so that I could face upper-ranked guys next basho. Well, that's the way I feel right now.

[madorosumaru 7]

How Far Will This Dorj Go

It has been reported elsewhere on the forum that Adiya Baasandorj has joined Takanohana Beya. The 18-year-old Mongolian arrived in Japan in March 2006 to enter Tottori Johoku High School as a sumo exchange student. He had watched sumo on television in his home country and dreamed about stepping on the Kokugikan dohyo.

Johoku High is a well-known sumo power, boasting alums such as Ozeki Kotomitsuki. There are even two other Mongolian rikishi from that school--Hoshikaze and Shironoryu. When he joined the sumo club, he was still a scrawny kid, weighing less than 80 kilos and his coach remembers him as being "physically weak." At the time, he hardly spoke any Japanese. Not only that, he faced adversities from the very start. Within a month of arrival, he broke his right wrist during keiko. Two months later, his father passed away.

Baasandorj persevered and dedicated himself to keiko. All the hard work paid off. He started asserting himself in his second year when he came in 4th in the National Games (Kokutai) and won the middle weight title of the World Junior Tournament. The young prospect is now 182 cm tall and his weight is up to 120 kilos. This year, he entered the world juniors as a heavy weight and was a finalist.

His favorite stance is migi-yotsu and his forte is the uwate-nage. He is the first foreign deshi to join Takanohana Beya. His new oyakata said, "I want him to approach training patiently and diligently. In time, I believe he will become a rikishi to be reckoned with." His high school coach advised him to "always remain thankful [for his blessings] and to do things naturally." They both have high hopes for the young man.

As for Baasandorj, he said, "I want to be the kind of rikishi that everyone would love. I know that life at the heya is strict but I am going to do my very best--as if my life depended on it."

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Deshi with oyakata, principal and coach.

[madorosumaru 7]

Anyone For Chanko With Plenty of Soul?

As reported earlier, quasi-gaijin Daishoyu, born Marvin Lee Junior Sano, retired prematurely due to a heart ailment that seems pandemic in ozumo recently. The 21-year-old former makushita rikishi bid adieu to sumo in a mage-snipping ceremony held at the senshuraku venue after the September basho.

Marvin, who had been kyujo since Natsu Basho, had lost approximately 50 kilos from his erstwhile 150-kg body. Apparently, he had come to grips with the retirement and was seen chatting quite happily with his heya-mates before the ceremony. 40 people, including his coach from Saitama Sakae High School and heya sekitori Kokkai, snipped at the oicho mage that Marvin wore for the first and last time.

By the time it was his mother's and grandmother's turn, the young man's cheeks were dripping with tears. As per tradition, his shisho made the final cut and Marvelous Marv was a civilian once more. When he reappeared at the venue after a quick visit to the barber, his trademark Afro was back in its full glory.

"It was just a very brief two-and-half-year rikishi life," said the emotional Marvin. "I will do my utmost to become 'a yokozuna' in my second career." It had been decided that starting in late October, he would start his apprenticeship at a chanko restaurant.

Good luck, Marvin. We hope you will be a Dangerfield that gets proper respect!

Edited November 16, 2008 by madorosumaru

[madorosumaru 7]

The Time Has Come for Ama

It's looking very likely that Ama will be promoted to ozeki after Kyushu Basho. Prior to the tournament, "The Little Train that Could" spoke to the media.

Media: Kyushu Basho is finally going to be your first challenge to reach the rank of ozeki.

Ama: I am tremendously appreciative of having this chance for ozeki-tori. It is not an opportunity that comes to just anyone.

M: This is your ninth year since coming to Japan.

A: I arrived on September 16, 2000. I was sixteen years old. I was so lonely in this strange country that I would cry in the bathroom. I would always go to the bathroom to cry. I would hold in my hands an album with pictures of my mother and sniff at it to get a sense of her presence. (Laugh) I was so sad and lonely but I am really glad I discovered sumo. Sumo taught me a new way of life. I see things differently now. I have a broader view. I am more patient and persevering.

M: Do you feel the pressure?

A: (After some thought) It's not a matter of pressure. It doesn't bother me that much. Instead, I feel that I need to do more keiko--to do better sumo. I want to do lots of keiko during jungyo, especially against Kisenosato. I also want to work out with Tochinoshin, who has gotten much stronger recently. I feel that if I work hard, the results will follow. Well, I believe that "Those that will make ozeki, will" and "Those that won't, won't." I just want to do my best so I won't have any regrets afterwards.

M: What does the rank of ozeki mean to you?

A: That's a really good question. Should I answer that honestly? When I first joined sumo, I aspired more to become an ozeki than to be a yokozuna. Ozeki was my goal.

M: Not yokozuna?

A: Maybe, it was due to the background in which I grew up. My father was a policeman and my mother worked for the government. We lived an understated lifestyle--nothing flashy. Perhaps, that's why I didn't care much for the rank of yokozuna, which attracts so much attention. I also felt a strong attraction to the ozeki of that time--Kaio-zeki, Chiyotaikai-zeki, Tochiazuma-zeki and Musoyama-zeki. They possessed a strong aura that could be felt palpably. When I first defeated Kaio-zeki, I was so happy I called home. I still remember my father's reaction: "How could you do that to the great ozeki?" (Laugh) I had hit him hard with my head at tachiai and gave him a bloody nose. My father sounded very pleased but he still chastized me for that. My father really liked Kaio-zeki as a rikishi. In fact, he is my favorite, too. My goal is to be ozeki. I want to be a strong ozeki. I want to gambarize so that when I am done with sumo, I could feel satisfied with my career. Well, that's if I become an ozeki. I guess I am getting ahead of myself. (Laugh) It'll be nice if we have the opportunity to talk about this again when the time comes.

A new ozeki dispatching a former ozeki